Golf tee



Aug. 10 1926. 1,595,13O

F. C.^w1LCOx GOLF TEE Filed Jan. 0, 1926 I7 7/7/e 7 '2/26 O T Fredm* 32678 63 WZZCOJ Patented Au 10, 1926.

UNITED STATES FBEDERICK C. WILCOX, OF KEENE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

GOLF TEE.

Application filed January This invention relates'to an improved golf tee and has for an object the provision of a. portable golf tee which is capable of endurmg rough usage and' at the 'same time not likely to injure the face of a golf club swung to hit a ball supported thereon. This invention also contemplates the provision of a portable golf tee which can be readily folded and conveniently carried in -the pocket of a player or in a suitable receptacle of leather or the like secured to the players belt or to any other convenient part of his apparel or upon the golf bag.

Another object of the invention concerns the provision of a golf tee which can be readily fixed to the ground so that it is 'not likely to be knocked to one side but so that it can be quickl removed when desired. A further object o the invention concerns the prov sion of a tee which may be engaged in varlous kinds of soil and yet will facilitate holding of the ball at the same predetermined height, which may be varied however to-suit different players or various inclinations of the surface of the ground. Another important object of the inventi'on is the provision of means which will permit the ball seat to swing to conform with the movement of the golf ball at the instant of impact and will thus cause a minimum of frictional interference with the flight of the ball in contrast to the eifect of many golf tees especially when the ball is hit too low or too high.

These and various other advantages will appear to those familiar with the art or pastime upon a reading of the following description and claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the tee in its folded position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the tee in its operative position; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view upon line of Fig. 3.

In its preferred form, the portable tee comprises an anchoring pin 1 which is pivotally connected to a supporting arm 2 to permit folding of the portable tee. The anchoring pin 1 preferably consists of a pointed sheet metal member of substantially triangular form having the legs 3 at its upper ao, 1928. Serial No. 84,90'a

connecting arm 2, when the tee is in its oper-.

ative position and thus to form stops limiting the relativemovement of the arm and pm. Pivot member 7 preferably comprises a short pln w1th its pintle portion projecting into the hole 10 in the arm 2 thus forming a plvot substantially perpendicular to the plane of the arm to permit its swinging in relation to the in. The head of the member 7 may be provided with a suitable spring washer 11 interposed between it and the upper surfaces of the end of arm 2 so that when the p1n 1 is swung to its operative position 1n relatlon to the supporting arm the head and washer arebrought into a comparatively firm engagement with the top of the armand the swinging of arm 2 about pin 7 IS sl ghtly restricted. The arm 2 preferably consists of a piece of suitably bent sheet metal having the end which is connected to the pin 1 somewhat enlarged to form a reinforced section 12 about the opening 10 and to comprlse a stop so that the height of the ball seat above the ground may be the same although the pin is inserted in soils of varying degrees of softness. The stop 12 also comprises means for abutting surfaccs 9 to limit the pivotal movement of members 1 and 2 so that the angular' relation of these members may normally be the same when they are in operative position.

The main portion of the arm 2 has its width reduced toward the ball seat 13 and the ball seat itself comprises an enlarged annular section of the arm 2 which is suitably curved to enable it substantially to conform to the shape of the ball placed thereon. The body portlon of arm 2 is preferably given a -definite upward inclination in relation to the stop 12 to fix the height of the ball seat 13 in relation to portion 12. Intermediate its ends a section of this arm is struck out to form a catch 14 for the end of CSI the pin 1 which may be turned about the members 7 and 8 to have its end disposed in the catch, the parts being so located that the catch holds the end of the pin with a fairly tight grip.

During the use of the improved golf tee it is normally carried in its folded position (Figs. 1 and 2) with the end of the pin 1 engaged in the catch thus enabling the tee to form a substantially flat member which takes up very little room and may be carried in the pocket of the user or in a suitahle leather container or the like. The catch not only serves to hold the tee in its folded position but it also forms a protection for the sharp end of the pin to avoid cutting of the pockets or scratching of hands of the user. When it is desired to use the tee, the member 7 is liglitly pivoted in relation to member 2 to permit the end of in 1 to swing away from the catch. The pin may then be swung downwardly and turned to a position wherein the upper surfaces 9 of flanges 6 substantially abut the lower surface of the portion 12 of the arm in the manner shown in F ig. 3. The pin is theninserted in the ground by the pressure of the thumb until the stop 12 is brought into abutting relation with the surface of the ground. It is to be understood however that the pin 1 may be inserted in the ground at an inclination if desired in Order to permit an adjustment in the height of the ball seat to suit the tastes of the individual player. The ball is then placed upon the seat 13 and the player is ready to make his drive. When the ball is hit the pivotal connection 7 between the arm and pin permits relative swinging of these members and therefore the movement of the ball seat may substantially conform to that of the ball as it leaves the tee. The tee may then be removed from the ground by grasping arm 2 and the parts are returned to their folded osition as indicated in F igs. 1 and 2.

It is now evident that I have provided a portable golf tee which is convenient to carry and which enables a tee of accurate height to be provided in spite of difi'erences in the nature of the soil and which permits the height of such a tee to be varied in accordance with the desires of the individual player.

I claim:

1. A portable golf tee comprising an anchoring pin adapted normally to be inscrted in a Vertical position in the ground, and a ball seat connected to the pin by a supporting arm, said pin being secured to said arm by means adapted to permit relative pivotal movement between these members from a position in which the arm and pin are at an angle when the pin is in normal operative position to a position where the arm and pin are substantially parallel as an inoperative or Carrying position.

*permit universal pivotal movement betweenthese members so that the pin may be sWung to any angle in relation to the arm at one side thereof.

4. A portable golf tee comprising'an anchoring pin and a ball seat connected to each other by a supporting arm, said pin being secured to said arm by means comprising two pivots with their axes substantially at right angles to each other.

5. A portable golf tee comprising an anchoring pin and a ball seat connected to each other by a supporting arm, said pin being secured to said arm by means comprising two pivots with non-parallel axes.

6. A portable golf tee. comprising an anchoring pin and a ball seat connected to each Other by a supporting arm, said pin being secured to said arm by means permitting relative pivotal movement between these members, said means comprising a projection upon one of these members engaged between a pair of projections upon the other member and having a pivot pin extending through these projections, the pair of projections being shaped to form stops to limit the relative pivotal movement of the pin and arm.

7. A portable golf tee comprising an anchoring pin and a ball seat connected to each other bya supporting arm, said pin being formed of a piece of sheet metal with a pair of parallel spaced extensions at its upper end bent at right angles to the main portion thereof, a projection on the arm, a pivot pin extending through this projection and through each of the sp'aced extensions upon the pin to permit relative pivotal movement between the pin and the arm.

8. A portable golf tee comprising an anchoring pin connected by a pivot to one end of a supporting arm which 1S provided with a ball seat at its opposite end, said pivot being so disposed that the pin may be folded to a position closely parallel to said arm, and a catch upon said arm to engage the pin in its folded position.

9. A foldable golf tee comprising a pointed anchoring pin secured by a pivotto one end of a supporting arm which is provided with a ball seat at its opposite end, said pivot beingso disposed that the pin may be folded to a position closely parallel to said arm, and a Catch upon the arm to form a of the arm adjonng the pin comprising a m guard for the pointed end of the pin When stop to abut the ground and thus Substanit s in its folded position. tially to fix the height of the ball seat in re- 10. A portable golf fee comprising an anlation to the ground.

choring pin and a ball seat connected by a Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts,

supporting arm which normally has an inthis 25th day of January, 1926.

clination upward when the pin is inserted in the ground, an enlargement of the portion F REDERICK C. WILCOX. 

